This course will present a series of "how to" and "how come" case studies on using Forma to expand contextual understanding of architectural design. Where Revit excels at designing with the building envelop in, Forma excels at connecting building design to a broader context. Specifically, this is where working with Forma opens a new mode of architectural exploration with an emphasis on outcome-based design thinking. Forma allows the construction and analysis of a series of complex site-based issues: topography and existing conditions, environmental factors, infrastructure, and geographic data (GIS). This is then combined with multiple design proposals to study impact on energy, accessibility and circulation, embodied carbon, and the visceral connection between the building and site that can only be resolved through iterative, simulated explorations.

Join us as we introduce Autodesk Forma, a cloud-based, AI-powered platform designed to support smarter decisions at the earliest stages of design. In just 30 minutes, discover how Forma helps you stay ahead of deadlines, eliminate guesswork, improve collaboration in the cloud, and enhance your Revit workflow, all from a single, connected environment, purpose-built for early-stage planning and design. We’ll walk through a key early-stage design workflow and show how Forma works seamlessly alongside Revit and other tools. Join us live to see how Forma streamlines your planning and design processes, from site context and 3D modeling to environmental analysis and design comparisons, all in one place!

Discover the power of AI in design optimization with this innovative AU class. Learn how to use large language models (LLMs) and Autodesk Forma software, a custom extension, to efficiently compare and evaluate multiple design options for a specific site. Gain insights into how AI can analyze various design aspects—such as functionality, aesthetics, and environmental factors—to determine the most suitable option. Throughout the class, you'll explore real-world case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of using LLMs and Forma in design decision making. Acquire practical skills in using the Forma extension to streamline your design workflow and make data-driven decisions. By the end of this class, you'll have the knowledge and tools to harness the potential of AI in design comparison and optimization. Elevate your design process, save time, and create outstanding results that meet and exceed client expectations.

This session will introduce a modern, early-stage, design workflow powered by artificial intelligence (AI), connecting Autodesk Forma, Finch, and Revit software. Learn how site data and massing created in Forma can be used directly in Finch to generate compliant floor plans with AI. As the design evolves, Finch automatically builds a Revit-native model using families and model groups, ready for further development and documentation. We’ll showcase a success story from one of our customers (TBA) highlighting how this workflow reduces manual work, supports more-data-driven decisions, and shortens the path from concept to BIM. Whether you’re an architect working in early-stage design or managing BIM execution, this session will provide a clear, practical view of what a connected workflow looks like and how it can accelerate project delivery.

Rhino is widely used by architects for early-stage massing and visualization, but environmental analysis remains a complex challenge for many users. That's where Forma comes in, providing detailed environmental analyses without requiring extensive technical expertise. In a live demonstration of the new Rhino-Forma plugin, we'll show you how to easily move geometry between the two programs, share best practices for structuring data, how to incorporate Grasshopper, and other tips and tricks. Learn how early environmental feedback can free up more time for creativity and reduce the C02 emissions of your design by up to 34%, and see how you can scale those benefits across your projects and organization.

Fail fast, as they say in tech. Our mantra for conceptual design is "Turn every stone.” That's why we've used Autodesk Forma as a tool for optimization and design evolution since it was conceived as a startup in Oslo, Norway. Autodesk Forma has played a pivotal role in the development of our 10-step methodology, which aims to increase the sustainability ambition in our projects. It has finally provided the much-needed support for data aggregation and seamless integration with our modeling software. The implementation of Autodesk Forma in our practice, from sketch to detail phase, has helped us create a transparent dialog with our clients and regulatory authorities, based on rich and objective information. It empowers us to find the best architectural solutions tailored to the unique characteristics of each site. In this session, we're excited to share a selection of large-scale urban projects in Norway that have been shaped up in Autodesk Forma and are transforming the urban fabric, leaving a lasting impact for generations to come.

Explore Artelia Denmark's innovative journey using Autodesk Forma software to win a new project amid stiff competition. Learn how the firm used Forma software's sustainability analysis capabilities to create multiple iterations of its project design, testing variations for optimal sunlight, daylight, and noise conditions. Artelia's client had a keen interest in exploring several architectural possibilities before settling on the final design. With Forma, the firm was able to meet this need, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable, outcome-based design. This case study shows not only Artelia's innovative approach to design, but also how the right tools can provide the flexibility to test, analyze, and optimize designs to meet client expectations and gain a competitive edge.

The easiest and most cost-effective time to address sustainability is at the start of a project. With increasing challenges around climate change, it's essential that we understand the impact of our projects on the environment from the start of the design process. We'll share resources to help you set operational energy targets for your project and understand the local climate needs. We'll demonstrate how you can use Autodesk Forma software's analysis tools to get instant feedback on sustainability metrics for your proposals including operational energy and solar panel analysis. We'll reveal what design decisions have the biggest impact on achieving your operational energy targets.

Discover how Autodesk Forma software enabled our team to optimize a large-scale urban development project in its earliest design phases. This session will showcase how we used Forma to simulate daylight, wind, and energy impact in real-time, enabling smarter massing and faster stakeholder alignment. By integrating Forma with Revit software and using environmental analytics early, we shortened iteration cycles, improved design outcomes, and delivered a more sustainable, compliant solution. Whether you're an architect, urban planner, or Project Delivery lead, this session will offer practical workflows to transform your early design process with Forma.

This academic-focused case study will explore how Autodesk Forma software transforms a student's approach to architectural design with a new outcome-based model. Learn from early examples of Autodesk Forma being used in classrooms of architecture programs across Europe and the United States, and understand why students pick up Autodesk Forma quickly, using contextual automated project setup, smart 3D-design tools, and integrated, AI-assisted, real-time feedback on project outcomes to transform their learning processes. Hear from experienced architecture practitioner and educator Daniel Stine about how his graduate students embraced this new way of thinking within their design processes, and why teaching Autodesk Forma software's in-market offering is instrumental in realizing Autodesk's vision of Autodesk Forma as the architecture, engineering, and construction industry cloud. With these vital skills, students will be well-equipped to play a critical role in addressing climate change and securing their dream professional careers within the industry.

To meet global demand for affordable and sustainable housing, the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry must streamline the design-to-construction process. Modular builders—like Factory_OS—are doing just that by productizing their building systems to generate customizable buildings from a catalog of construction-ready unit types. With Factory_OS, Autodesk Research has developed new design methods that connect their building unit catalog with AI-powered generative design to create multiple design options. This case study demonstrates how new procedural design systems enabled rapid, no-code design exploration while balancing trade-offs between cost, carbon, and habitability. The study also showcases how the prototype made it onto Autodesk Forma using the developer extension model to deliver customized novel design functionality and metrics. Going beyond existing capabilities, Autodesk Research and Autodesk Forma enabled Factory_OS to rapidly and intuitively evaluate new development projects in a data-informed manner.

Due to our unique involvement in the Forma pilot program we would like to share our experience with the AECO community. The Forma-to-Revit-and-back-to-Forma workflow (via Forma Plugin) is a powerful tool for architects and designers seeking to streamline their design process. Forma provides an intuitive platform for creating complex geometries and analysis while Revit's advanced BIM tools enable designers to create detailed building models. The ability to seamlessly transfer between the two programs allows for easy collaboration and communication between team members, resulting in a more efficient and effective design process. This workflow is particularly useful for architects and designers looking to create complex designs in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods. By integrating the strengths of Forma and Revit, designers can create more accurate, energy efficient and detailed models, which can be used for construction and documentation purposes.

Architects today face a complex challenge: accurately estimating carbon footprints while exploring a wider and wider variety of forms. In this session, we'll demonstrate how to effectively integrate Autodesk Forma software's carbon analysis tools with Rhino software's modeling capabilities, presenting a novel workflow that allows the evaluation of multiple designs simultaneously. Understand best practices for organizing data in Rhino. Learn methods to quickly incorporate insights from Autodesk Forma back into Rhino for ongoing design iteration. Discover strategies you can use to dramatically reduce the time spent on evaluating carbon impacts, achieving vast efficiency improvements, while maximizing design quality and minimizing environmental impact.

Early stage design has arguably the biggest impact on project cost. By nature, these decisions are based on scarce information, which results in tons of repetitive work and a massive waste of resources. Historically, both Forma and TestFit saw an opportunity to reinvent early stage planning to create better cities. While tackling different sides of the problem based on their respective markets, both companies focused on maximizing automation to make better-informed decisions faster, saving time and money. Now, with Forma being created as a platform, new partnerships are possible. Brought together by a hackathon, a new collaboration was born bringing new capabilities to Forma and TestFit users. Come hear the story behind the partnership, vision, and journey, and learn about TestFit's parking generator that is now available as beta on the Autodesk Forma platform.

This session will draw upon insights from SSOE Group's Caterpillar Pharaoh Industrial Facility Project, which uses the Autodesk Forma cloud-based platform to spearhead our digital transformation and revolutionize proposal production. With Autodesk Forma, we attained swift design iteration and insightful data analysis, allowing us to evaluate design variations in seconds. Our innovative approach significantly contributes to improved sustainability outcomes. In a desert location, we reduced temperatures by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit with strategic design interventions. Moreover, we significatively minimized heat stress over facades, creating a more sustainable, pleasant, and comfortable design. Join us as we reshape the future of industrial engineering and architecture, harnessing architectural approaches to improve sustainability and drive innovation—all while committed to building a sustainable tomorrow.

This case study shows how effectively Autodesk Forma software was integrated into the design process of NOVA PROJEKT Architekci sp. z o.o. This integration was intended to make it faster and easier to prepare precise urban analyses in the preliminary phase of architectural projects. This allowed for the analysis of multiple options, which is critical for construction projects subject to local and national laws and located on brownfield sites. The initial presentation will set expectations for Autodesk Forma. A test project revealed obstacles in the form of lack of support for some coordinate systems and DXF™ files. A diagnosis based on experience demonstrated that the analysis results would be only approximate. Autodesk support helped create a data-preparation process using AutoCAD Map 3D software, analysis in Autodesk Forma, and in Revit software. The initial design process has been shortened tenfold, and the results made a convincing case for those deciding whether to launch and approve the project.

Join Miguel Elizardo, Daniel Stine, and Autodesk Forma Representative Andrés D'Silva for an engaging case study and industry talk on sustainable architectural design. This session will spotlight Lake|Flato Architects' application of Autodesk Forma in competing for commissions and achieving WELL Pilot Credits and WELL Platinum Certification on its own office remodel. With a focus on outdoor thermal comfort and wind pattern analysis, participants will explore how data-driven insights from Autodesk Forma help inform Lake|Flato's approach to sustainable design, leading to successful project outcomes and enhanced client presentations

This case study will showcase Autodesk Forma software's new AI-based embodied carbon analysis, built in collaboration with EHDD, examining real-life use cases by Stantec practitioners to evaluate embodied carbon at the earliest stages of design. First, we'll expand on our AU 2023 product demo, exploring Stantec's partnership with Forma, and establishing the user needs and guiding principles that led us to the in-market embodied carbon analysis. Then, Jack Rusk, who leads the EHDD team behind the C.Scale engine that powers the analysis in Forma, will explain how these same user needs manifested in the computational back end, giving a look behind the curtain at the AI model. Finally, and most importantly, Stantec practitioners will show real projects where they've used the analysis to inform effective early-stage decisions. Specifically, these Forma users will demonstrate that democratized carbon solutions empower any designer to champion sustainable, outcome-based design from step one.

Autodesk Forma software is Autodesk's cloud-based solution for early-stage planning and design. Aside from having a rich, evolving feature set, Autodesk Forma is also a platform: It exposes a powerful set of APIs that allow you to extend the core functionality with custom data and analyses. This session will look at the various ways to extend Autodesk Forma, with a particular focus on how Autodesk Research has created a voxel-based analysis extension using the embedded views software development kit (SDK).

The future of sustainable, equitable urban design hinges on access to actionable data at the earliest design stages. This session will explore the ongoing strategic alliance between Autodesk and Esri, with an exclusive look at the new Autodesk Forma extension for ArcGIS that integrates deep geographic information system (GIS) insights directly into design workflows. You’ll hear from Lake Flato Architects’ Urban Planning Studio, the Forma team, and Esri’s Professional Services about how the Forma real-time simulation and massing tools, combined with robust GIS layers—from flood risk and green infrastructure to demographic and zoning data—can empower planning decisions that balance ecology, equity, and economy. Through real-world examples and a forward-looking road map, we’ll show how GIS-driven design accelerates collaboration and unlocks transformational outcomes for communities.